Orchids Part 5

BRa.s.sO-CATTLEYA DIGBYANO-MOSSIae

"WEs...o...b..RT VARIETY"

(Raised from a cross between _Bra.s.savola Digbyana_ and _Cattleya Mossiae_.)]

When Orchid flowers are to be used for decorative purposes, no matter in what stage of development they may be, it adds greatly to their durability if they are placed head downward, thoroughly immersed in clean water (rain-water for preference), and kept so immersed until an hour or so before they are set up, gently shaking the water from them, and placing them on a cloth or some dry, cool surface until wanted.

Treated in this way, Orchid flowers will last for weeks instead of days.

The method should be to take them out of the dining-room or other place where they have been used after the guests have departed each evening.

Have ready a large earthenware pan filled with water, and in it immerse the Orchid flowers, leaving them immersed until shortly before they are required to be set up again next day, repeating the same treatment every night. Managed in this way, sprays of Odontoglossums and other Orchids often last for weeks, and look better than freshly cut immature flowers do even on the first day. Flowers received by post should always be treated to the bath for some hours, and, during immersion, any defects which are reparable will be made good and the duration of the flowers ensured, especially if the immersion be repeated as before recommended.

In this way Masdevallia, Sobralia, and other fugacious flowers may be used for decorative purposes for two evenings at least, but in the absence of immersion they would wither in a very short time. It might also be said that the Maidenhair Fern, also _Asparagus plumosus_, and other foliage used with the cut Orchids are materially benefited by immersion, the Maidenhair Fern especially; it should always be kept immersed until required for use.

CHAPTER XVI

IMPORTING ORCHIDS

Many interesting Orchids have been imported by amateurs who have friends or correspondents in the countries which the Orchids inhabit, and many more would have arrived alive if the persons who sent them possessed some knowledge of the best methods of collecting, packing, and forwarding the plants. The want of this knowledge often results in the trouble the collector has taken being in vain, and disappointment to the receiver who gets the dead plants and has to tell his correspondent the sad tale of failure.

Orchids should be gathered and forwarded during their resting season, and with a sufficient time between their being sent off and their natural growing season to allow of the period of their transit being made before their resting season expires. This rule is often needlessly violated by those who are settled in the district from whence they are sending the Orchids, and who could easily wait until the resting season comes round. For those who are travelling and have to take the Orchids when they can and in whatever condition they may be, however, there is some excuse, and by carefully forwarding the plants, even although at the wrong season, many may get them over alive. Residents in the tropics often grow a collection of Orchids, bringing to the gardens around their residences the plants collected in distant parts of their districts.

These growers have a notion that cultivated plants are the best to send their correspondents, therefore, although they could collect fresh plants, they think it safer to send those in their own gardens. These are the very worst plants to travel. They are usually collected in high localities, and their sojourn in a garden results in lowered vitality, which explains why a large proportion die during the journey to this country.

Freshly collected plants, in whatever stage they may be, are the best, the ideal conditions being to take the plants at mid-resting season, to have the case to receive them beneath the trees on which they are growing, to pack them off at once to a s.h.i.+pping agent at the port of embarkation, to catch a steamer previously timed, and to consign the case or cases to a reliable s.h.i.+pping agent in England.

Another cause of mortality in Orchids during transit arises from the mistaken notion that the plants require to be prepared by drying before packing, and this practice is continued so long and rigorously in many cases that the plants are half dead before they are despatched.

No such preparation is needed; the plants should be packed at once after collecting, and any moisture which may be in them will escape through the small holes in the case. The parcels post is available from many parts of the tropics, and from some places it is the only reliable means of getting Orchids over in a reasonable time. But it is only available for small lots, and for these it forms the best means of forwarding.

Unfortunately, there are drawbacks even to these means, for the parcels, especially from some ports, are frequently stowed in hot chambers on board the mail steamer, the object being to keep the mails dry, and plant-life is destroyed by the excessive heat.

Epiphytal Orchids with pseudo-bulbs, such as Cattleyas, Laelias, and Epidendrums, if collected at or near the proper season, require very little packing. The cases being ready, it is necessary to place a layer of plants at the bottom, with their heads all facing one way. The next layer is placed with the heads the reverse way, and so on until the box is full of plants firmly pressed in, but not sufficiently close to cause injury. During the packing a few struts of wood should be placed across the inside and fastened by nails driven into their ends from the outside; these will prevent the plants from forming a ma.s.s and rolling about when the boxes are moved. A few small holes should be bored in the boxes to admit a little air.

Leafy epiphytal Orchids, such as Phalaenopsis, Aerides, Vandas, and Saccolabiums, may be forwarded in the same way, but with a sprinkling of fine paper cuttings, layers of paper, fine but not resinous shavings, or dry moss between each row of plants. In respect to species which do not possess pseudo-bulbs it is absolutely necessary that they be sent at the proper resting season, if forwarded in bulk in boxes.

Phalaenopsis for sending at any time are prepared by collectors in Java and the Philippines by establis.h.i.+ng the plants on blocks. They are almost the only temporarily cultivated Orchids which often travel well when so managed, and they are usually sent fastened round the sides and backs of Wardian cases, a method which is somewhat costly. Terrestrial Orchids, such as Phaius, Calanthes, and others with above-ground pseudo-bulbs, if collected at the proper resting season, travel well packed in cases of moderate size and with a little dry packing material placed between the rows. The danger with these kinds is that the pseudo-bulbs, being soft and containing much moisture, are liable to decay, and a few damaged plants may cause the loss of all contained in the box.

Tuberous-rooted, terrestrial Orchids of the same nature as the British Orchis, and including the African Disas, and Satyriums, also the Habenarias of different regions, should be marked when in flower and lifted in the resting season, the tubers being placed in small boxes with a sprinkling of nearly dry sandy peat or sand, run in between the tubers. If there are several different kinds to be forwarded, all the small boxes containing them may be packed together in a larger box.

Next to the trouble caused by loss in transit is that of having plants arrive without any means of identification. The collector should be careful to write the name of every specimen on an imperishable label, or, better still, send each under a number and forward a numbered list with the names corresponding to the numbers on each kind sent. Those who are collecting Orchids should, as often as possible, dry specimens of the growth and flowers of each kind, forwarding one set, numbered similarly to the set retained, to their correspondent, or to some authority, for identification. A description or rough sketch of the plant should be given on the same sheet as the dried specimens, stating such important particulars as colour of flowers, alt.i.tude of habitat, and exact locality.

CHAPTER XVII

TREATMENT OF IMPORTED ORCHIDS

Much depends on the condition of the importations, whether they have been collected at the proper time, and whether they have been properly packed and forwarded. Many imported Orchids offered for sale cannot possibly do well, as from improper packing they have "heated," or been subjected to excessive heat or cold whilst on board. Cases of Orchids awaiting transit are often left on the landings in the full sun and become partially desiccated, though while dry still retaining a green appearance. Such collectors' failures die rapidly as soon as heat and moisture are given, and, even in the case of those which seem to establish a healthy appearance of the pseudo-bulbs, growth is not possible, as the growth-buds have been dried up. It is waste of time trying to bring such plants round, therefore care should be taken not to purchase them at any price.

Imported Orchids of all kinds should be trimmed over as soon as they are received, the damaged parts removed, and the plants placed in a cool-intermediate temperature after they have been sponged over. They may be suspended for a few days and afterwards placed in small pots of broken crocks. Pseudo-bulbous Orchids, such as Odontoglossums and Cattleyas, should not be watered, but they may be sponged occasionally until growth commences, when they should be potted in the usual manner.

Aerides, Saccolabiums, Vandas, Angraec.u.ms, and other Orchids not having pseudo-bulbs may be treated in the same way as the pseudo-bulbous kinds, it being probably the safer and more cautious policy. But good results, and a quicker establishment may be secured, if the plants are recoverable by immersing them for five minutes in a rain-water tank immediately on arrival, suspending them head downwards from the roof of the house afterwards, and repeating the dipping two or three times a week. This method has the advantage at least that those which were not recoverable are quickly discovered, while the sound plants soon plump up. With all imported plants there is no use potting them permanently and watering them until growth commences, but they must not be kept too hot in the meantime.

CHAPTER XVIII

ODOURS OF ORCHIDS

Many Orchids have fragrant flowers, while in some sections the fragrance is emitted by the whole plant. A large number of Burmese and Indian, highland Orchids, such as _Dendrobium moschatum_, the section of deciduous Bulbophyllums which includes _B. auricomum_, _B. hirtum_, _B.

comosum_, and _B. suavissimum_, have leaves that on becoming dry after falling give off a strong odour of newly-mown hay, the plants also in all their parts being similarly scented when dry, even the cases containing them being pleasantly scented by the plants.

The odours of Orchid flowers may generally be likened to well-known perfumes. _Trichopilia suavis_, _Miltonia Roezlii_, and others are scented like the Rose; _Odontoglossum odoratum_ and some other Odontoglossums, _Maxillaria picta_ and other Maxillarias, like the Hawthorn. Certain Maxillarias of the _M. luteo-alba_ section are scented like Honeysuckle, and odour similar to the Tuberose is given off by many Angraec.u.ms. Some have a much stronger odour at night than in the day, a peculiarity which is found in _Epidendrum nocturnum_, _E. ciliare_, and many species. Vanilla is a common scent in Orchids, being present in some Vandas. The odour of Violets is furnished by _Dendrobium heterocarpum_ and others of its cla.s.s, and the Primrose, Wallflower, and other common garden plants have their exact imitators in the matter of scent in some tropical Orchids--indeed, it is an interesting subject to consider how plants resemble each other in this particular. Then there are large numbers of Orchids with such delicate odours that some are unable to appreciate them, but they are specially grateful to those who detect them. Again, some Orchids have different odours at different times in the day. It is not safe, therefore, to declare a plant scentless unless it has been tested repeatedly at different times.

Variation in odour has been noticed. We remember flowering the first _Odontoglossum hebraic.u.m_, and on testing it its odour was of cinnamon.

It pa.s.sed to Sir Trevor Lawrence's collection, and we asked the late Mr.

Spyers to test the odour, and he replied that it was of Hawthorn, like others of its cla.s.s. He tested it several times with the same result, but for some time before it pa.s.sed off he reported to us that it smelt exactly like cinnamon. Then there are odours in Orchids about which opinions are divided as to whether they are pleasant or not. _Oncidium ornithorhynchum_ is an example; some like the odour of it very much, while it is disagreeable to others. The same applies to Anguloas, some Lycastes and Stanhopeas with strongly aromatic scent, which are pleasant at a distance, but not so when too closely approached. But the majority are distinctly pleasant, _Cattleya Dowiana_ and its hybrids, _C.

Eldorado_ and others, being delicately fragrant.

A very few are malodorous, _Bulbophyllum Beccari_ not being tolerable under any circ.u.mstances, the flowers smelling like some of the Stapelias.

CHAPTER XIX

HYBRIDISING AND RAISING SEEDLING ORCHIDS

A new interest has been added to Orchid culture by the pursuit of hybridising and raising seedling Orchids, which commenced with _Calanthe Dominyi_, raised in the nurseries of Messrs. Veitch and recorded in the _Gardeners' Chronicle_ in 1858. The practice has now become general, and a large number of Orchidists arrange for the production of new Orchids from seeds, while even in small collections some attention is given to the matter. When the engrossing pursuit is first taken up, the operator should neglect no opportunity to make himself conversant with the structure of the flowers. This may be done effectually by carefully examining any available flowers, and by making longitudinal sections of the bloom by cutting them in two, commencing at the apex of the column and finis.h.i.+ng at the ovary and pedicel. This operation exposes the various organs that are concerned in the fertilisation of the flower.

In most Orchids, such for instance as Laelias and Cattleyas, it will be seen that the pollen ma.s.ses are situated at the apex of the column covered by the anther cap, the stigma being in a cavity in the face of the column beneath it.

In Cypripedium there are two developed anthers; the viscous pollen ma.s.ses are not enclosed in cases, but are placed opposite each other; the stigma is a s.h.i.+eld-shaped body seen inside the lip on the under side of the column, and the stigmatic surface is not viscous.

The details of the structure of the flowers being fully understood, it will readily be seen that the first process in the production of seeds is to fertilise the flower intended to bear the seed capsule with the pollen of the other parent selected. This is readily accomplished by lifting the pollen ma.s.ses beneath the anther-cap with a thin pencil or sharpened stick and placing them on the stigmatic surface of the seed-bearing parent.

Flowers which are intended to be fertilised for seed-bearing should have their own pollen carefully removed before the pollen taken from the other plant is introduced, the pollen removed being used to effect the reverse cross, or to fertilise another species if desired.

In fertilising small flowers with the pollen of larger species, as in the case of _Sophronitis grandiflora_ with the pollinia of the larger species, the pollen ma.s.ses may be cut and a portion of it used in crossing the smaller flower. When the flower of a plant has been fertilised, the plant should receive special attention; if it is a Cattleya, Laelia, or one of the large-growing epiphytes, it should, after the pseudo-bulb bearing the flower has had a number attached to it corresponding to the number in the stock-book in which the crosses are recorded, be suspended from the roof in a comfortable and not draughty situation. If the plant is in a pot, the pot should be placed in a basket and suspended; or if a suitable position can be found on the stage, it could be placed on an inverted pot to bring it into prominence and secure for it careful attention. Where there is a number of seed-bearing plants, they should be arranged together in the respective houses in which they are grown.

Early in its development, the seed capsule should be supported by ties, which, however, should not bring it into an unnatural position, or press tightly on the part supported. From this time failure may arise from the conflicting natures of the agents used, or from various causes. Even the production of a fine and seemingly mature fruit is not a certain indication of good seeds, for seed capsules have been produced by irritation of the stigmatic surface by grit or dust, but no fertile seeds can be thus produced. On approaching maturity, a tie should be made round the middle of the capsule to prevent loss of seed when the splitting of the capsule takes place, and, when it is thoroughly mature, it should be removed, placed in a flower-pot lined with tissue-paper, and put on a shelf in a dry potting-shed until so thoroughly ripe that the seeds are being shed in the tissue-paper covering.

At this stage it is possible for the first time to determine whether the seed, or any of it, is good or not. Examination with a strong lens will show whether the minute seeds are good or not by the presence or absence of the embryo in the centre of the elongated covering, which in imperfectly developed specimens is chaff-like and not thickened in the middle as are good seeds. Where no good seeds are found, it is the custom of some growers to discard it at once, and where but few good seeds appear, attempts are made to discard the chaff and to retain the supposed good ones for sowing. Where s.p.a.ce admits, however, especially with the beginner, it would be more prudent to sow a portion of the contents of the capsule, whether supposed to be good or not.